The instant invention relates to bicycles and more particularly to a training wheel assembly for a bicycle which is adjustable to compensate for the level of skill of an operator thereof.
Training wheel assemblies have generally been found to be effective for aiding young children in the development of bicycling skills. In this regard, a conventional training wheel assembly generally comprises a pair of training wheels and a pair of brackets which are operative for mounting the training wheels adjacent opposite sides of the rear wheel of a bicycle. It has been found that a training wheel assembly of this type can be effectively utilized for increasing the stability of a bicycle so that a young rider can more easily develop his or her balancing skills while learning to ride the bicycle.
Most of the heretofore available training wheel assemblies have been adapted so that they are adjustable for raising the training wheels thereof as a rider develops his or her riding skills. However, it has been found that when the wheels of a training wheel assembly on a bicycle are adjusted upwardly to reduce the amount of support which they provide the bicycle inherently becomes more unstable, and it has a tendency to wobble from side-to-side unless the rider is sufficiently skillful at riding the bicycle so as to make the training wheels essentially unnecessary.
Training wheel assemblies of the above described general type are disclosed in the U.S. Patents to Kosack U.S. Pat. No. Des. 167,697; Wilkens U.S. Pat. No. Des. 168,202; Abel U.S. Pat. No. Des. 173,777; Takashima U.S. Pat. No. Des. 217,525; Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,764; Brilando U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,954; Pawsat U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,305; and McMurtrey U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,535. Other types of training wheel assemblies which, in addition to the ones disclosed in the above references, represent the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. Patents to Bashaw et al U.S. Pat. No. Des. 149,243; Ring U.S. Pat. No. Des. 169,391; Hill U.S. Pat. No. Des. 220,600; Moller U.S. Pat. No. 2,450,979; and Goldmeier U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,840. However, these references fail to disclose a training wheel assembly which is adjustable inwardly relative to the rear wheels of a bicycle rather than upwardly, and hence they are believed to be of only general interest with respect to the subject invention.
The instant invention provides an effective training wheel assembly for a bicycle which is adjustable for reducing the level of support provided by the training wheel assembly as the level of skill of a rider is increased, but which is normally operative without allowing the bicycle to wobble from side-to-side during use, even when the level of support provided by the training wheel assembly is reduced. More specifically, the instant invention provides an effective training wheel assembly comprising a pair of training wheels and means for mounting the training wheels adjacent opposite sides of the rear wheel of a bicycle so that the training wheels can be adjusted inwardly rather than upwardly to reduce the level of support provided by the training wheels. Still more specifically, the mounting means is adapted for mounting the training wheels so that they are positioned in outwardly spaced relation to opposite sides of the rear wheel of a bicycle and operative for contacting a supporting surface on which the bicycle is received in order to maintain the bicycle in a substantially upright disposition. Further, the mounting means is adapted so it is adjustable for moving the training wheels between respective first positions thereof wherein they are spaced outwardly from the rear wheel of the bicycle by a first predetermined distance and second positions thereof where therein they are spaced outwardly from the rear wheel by a smaller second predetermined distance. The mounting means preferably includes first and second mounting members for mounting the first and second training wheels, respectively, and each of the mounting members has opposite first and second sides. Further, the mounting members are preferably adapted so that they are reversible so that the first sides of the mounting members face inwardly toward the rear wheel when the training wheels are in respective first positions thereof and the second sides of the mounting members face inwardly toward the rear wheel when the training wheels are in respective second positions thereof.
It has been found that the training wheel assembly of the instant invention can be effectively utilized for increasing the stability of a bicycle while a young rider is developing his or her bicycling skills and that the training wheel assembly is adjustable to reduce the level of support and stability provided by the training wheels as the riding skill of the user is increased. Specifically, it has been found that by reversing the positions of the mounting members in order to move the training wheels inwardly rather than upwardly, the amount of the overall support and stability provided by the training wheels can be reduced without causing the bicycle to be prone to wobbling from side-to-side as it is supported by the training wheels.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective training wheel assembly for a bicycle.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a training wheel assembly comprising a pair of mounting members and a pair of training wheels, wherein the mounting members are adapted for adjustably mounting the training wheels so that they are movable inwardly rather than upwardly relative to the rear wheel of a bicycle.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective training wheel assembly for a bicycle which is adjustable for reducing the level of support provided by the training wheels thereof without making the bicycle unstable and wobbly.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.